Seven overseas vacationers who have been hospitalized in Fiji after consuming cocktails at a resort bar weren’t poisoned by alcohol or illicit medicine, officers mentioned Wednesday following a toxicology report.

The reason for the vacationers’ sickness over the weekend stays below investigation, Fiji’s Tourism Minister Viliame R. Gavoka mentioned.

“I can affirm that no illicit substances or methanol have been discovered within the components or liquor samples,” Gavoka informed reporters within the capital, Suva.

“The findings that there is no such thing as a proof of alcohol poisoning is nice information for Fiji, particularly for our important tourism trade,” he added.

All seven vacationers have since absolutely recovered, he mentioned.

They turned unwell on the five-star Warwick resort close to the city of Sigatoka on Saturday.

The vacationers, together with Australians and an American, have been hospitalized with nausea, vomiting and neurological signs, Fiji’s Well being Ministry mentioned.

Information retailers had reported the reason for the foreigners’ sickness was suspected alcohol poisoning, much like a case in Laos final month during which six vacationers — together with two Australian youngsters — died after consuming drinks tainted with methanol.

The suspicion of methanol poisoning was a blow to Fiji’s tourism trade, which has a popularity for offering protected meals and drinks.

Alcohol poisoning is a typical hazard in lots of poorly regulated vacationer locations, the place respected manufacturers of spirits are substituted with regionally distilled ethanol. Methanol might be an unintended byproduct of unprofessional distillation.

Fiji Everlasting Secretary for Well being Jemesa Tudravu mentioned the sicknesses may have been attributable to a chemical response or an infection. His division was persevering with to analyze.

Gavoka urged overseas governments to take away from their journey advisories warnings a threat of drink spiking in Fiji that emerged this week.

He mentioned the vacationer trade had been rocked by media studies of suspected contaminated drinks, however vacationers had not canceled their holidays.

“There isn’t a indication of individuals canceling. What we hear is people who find themselves in a way of disbelief that Fiji may very well be spiking drinks or Fiji may very well be including some dangerous stuff into the cocktails,” Gavoka mentioned.

Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka mentioned the incident had been confined to a single resort.

“We might like to inform everyone that it is protected to come back to Fiji and we now have to additionally discover out who has been giving out the destructive press about Fiji as a vacation spot. Are they rivals for our vacationer guests?” Rabuka mentioned to reporters.